Realistic Fears
by leggylover03
Summary: Sometimes your fears are reality


Title: Realistic Fears

Summary: Sometimes your fears are reality.  
Disclaimer: No, I don't own them or they would fear me and massive amounts of drool.  
A/N: Not my best work, but it was written in 15 minutes, so not too bad.

Estel sighed as he continued to walk through the dark forest of Mirkwood. "You know mellon nin, I wish this place held light like the woods surrounding Imladris."

"These woods have not held light in a very long time I am afraid. The spiders make sure of that."

Estel shuddered, as the cool breeze swept over him. "These woods are even more foreboding than that of the Entwood."

Legolas had to laugh then. "You know Estel sometimes I forget just how unelvenlike you are. The trees speak of approaching evil if there is any. We are safe here, or is it just that you are leery because it is All Hallow's Eve?"

Estel's eyes grew round. "Do not jest about such things Legolas. You should have a healthy fear of the things that linger here."

Legolas stopped walking for a moment, turning to Estel. "I think that you have listened to too many of your brothers bedtime stories Estel. There is nothing to fear." Legolas went to laugh again as Estel's eyes told of his fear, but something stopped him. "What is it Estel?" he whispered, as the man held his hand up to stop further questions.

Estel did not speak but rather motioned for Legolas to follow him. Legolas wanted to stop him, by telling him it was not safe to stray too far into the woods off the path, but Estel was already ten paces ahead of him.

He followed behind Estel till he came to a small cliff unknown to Legolas. "I did not know this place was here, and I have been here numerous times."

Estel said nothing in returned but merely peered over the edge as if something called to him, something pulling him to venture down the side. Estel turned around to face Legolas, a look of embarrassment on his face. "I do not know what it was, but something made me come this way, almost as if it called to me."

Legolas grabbed Estel's hand, pulling him away from the edge a bit. "You are more than a little on edge because of the night it is. We should be going before Lord Elrond sends the whole of Mirkwood's patrols looking for you."

Estel laughed as he could imagine just that, and went to follow Legolas from the edge of the cliff when something pulled him back, grabbing at his foot.

Legolas jerked back, his hand slipping from Estel's and immediately on his bow, notching an arrow at the look of horror on Estel's face. Legolas was ready to kill whatever had placed the fear in his best friend's eyes, but he could see nothing, even with his elven eyesight.

Again Estel was jerked towards the cliff, and fell to his knees. "Legolas help me!" he yelled.

Legolas wanted to shoot the intruder, but still he saw nothing, till he narrowed his eyes towards the cliff. Grasping at Estel's feet and legs were two hands, mangled from what he did not know. Snapping his attention back to Estel, he could see him being pulled closer and closer to the edge, his feet now over the edge and his legs almost out of sight.

Legolas lunged for Estel who was now grasping at the grass to keep from being pulled. "Help me!" he screamed, his fear overtaking any sense of trying to act brave.

Closer and closer they both now were pulled till Estel was hanging over the edge, keeping from being pulled all the way down the cliff by Legolas, and that is when they both saw it.

Legolas' heart began beating twice as fast, but Estel was now oddly quiet, his screams now only gasps. Below them attached to him looked to have been an elf at one time, but now its mangled, rotting flesh gave it a look of something from horror stories told to children. Its entire body looked to be ravaged by the elements, but its face was one that was strangely beautiful.

"Save me," it begged as it continued to pull at both of them. Neither wanted anything to do with it, neither wanted to save what was obviously already dead. Screaming they fought to get away from it.

"Leave me alone!" Estel screamed, finding his voice, but the creature below them tugged one last time, sending him and Legolas over the edge of the cliff. They both landed with a thud on the ground, Estel knowing his arm had broken in the fall, as it was now laying at an odd angle.

Legolas still had not regained consciousness, his normally pristine face, now marred with blood that seeped from his head striking the rock. Estel moved closer to his friend, pulling his sword from its sheath with his good arm, wanting to protect Legolas.

"Come with me Estel, come with me and see that your father awaits you. He will comfort you, take away all your pain if you will just help me." Estel turned to see the creature not ten feet away, and he drew Legolas closer to him as best he could.

"Leave us alone!" His screams awoke Legolas, who started backing away from the creature as soon as he saw it. Neither of them were able to fight in their condition, but again the creature spoke.

"Young Greenleaf, your mother beckons you even now. She wishes to see you again." Legolas shuddered, thinking about the last time he saw his mother, about how she had waved goodbye to him before she left out on the path. He never saw her again, never told her how much he loved her, and even though he knew better, the creatures offer was tempting.

Standing now, Legolas followed the creature, though Estel tugged on his arm, trying to keep him where they were. "It tells you lies Legolas! Your mother is dead!"

"How do you know Estel? They never found her body."

"I know because it offered me a chance to see my father and he is dead!"

"Yes, come and see your father Estel. Come and see what words of wisdom he wishes to give you."

Estel's skin crawled. He begged and pleaded for Legolas to remain where he was, but with one bad arm he could do nothing but follow hoping that Legolas would come to his senses before he had to knock him out again.

Several hundred yards away the creature led them to a ravine, not more than seven or eight feet deep it seemed. "They wait for you there," it said, pointing to the water. Legolas stared into the crystal waters, his eyes glazing over in some kind of trance. "Do not listen Legolas! Do not follow it."

The creature who had been calm and serene until now showed its true face now, one of sunken eyes, and skin that hung loosely on its skeletal frame. Legolas stepped into the water, unwary of the coldness, feeling nothing at all but the call of the creature.

Estel followed but once his feet hit the water, the numbness began. He found he could not feel his feet, and that feeling crawled into his legs soon after. He fell, dragging Legolas who he had been holding down with him. Now they were both submerged in the freezing waters of the ravine, and somehow they felt a peace come over them. The last thing Estel saw were lights coming to the cliff side, and then his eyes closed, feeling nothing at all.

An hour later...

Legolas woke to find his father sitting beside him drenched, his robes discarded on the shore. Estel too woke to find his father looking rather concerned, and his hair dripping wet with water. "Ada?"

Elrond wasted no time at all in his lecture. "What in the world were you thinking? This water is forbidden, the ravine has been tainted for many years now, its water not fit for drinking, and definitely not for swimming. If we had not been out looking for you both, you would have died."

Legolas sat up, but was quickly pushed back down by Thranduil as the king began to wrap the bandages around his head. "We saw the elf, he seemed to need us, and yet when we followed."

Thranduil stopped what he was doing. "You followed but why?"

"He dragged us over the cliff, and then I ... I don't know I couldn't resist."

Thranduil said nothing, wrapping Legolas' head in the bandages, though his hands were now shaking. "It was only a dream wasn't it Ada, from the fall I mean."

"I only wish it were so. Those who follow don't come back Legolas. You would not have either. You both were very lucky."

Estel was the one to ask now. "What do you mean?"

"Many years ago an elf drowned in these waters. He hid for two days from orcs, hoping they would venture away from the ravine. Help was supposed to be coming and yet the orcs persuaded him to venture out even further. They promised him that he would see his sons again, but in the end he watched sadly as both were drowned by the orcs. In a fit of rage, and delusion he went after the orcs and met his own demise."

"But, he spoke of naneth, and of Estel's father. He said we would see them again."

"Lies, those told by someone desperate for someone to share eternity with. Do not follow the dead for they will only bring about your own."

Estel and Legolas were helped back up and with the help of Thranduil and Elrond, made it back up the cliff. "Now, as I had no plans on taking a swim I think we are all in a need of a hot bath and then perhaps a nights sleep."

"No!" was the answer from both Estel and Legolas.

"You both need rest, your wounds are not grievous but they require rest." Elrond admonished.

"I cannot sleep tonight Ada. Not after that, not knowing what has almost happened. I will not feel safe to close my eyes." Legolas nodded in agreement.

Thranduil and Elrond both grinned as they began the short walk back to Mirkwood. "I suppose we could tuck you in and let you sleep in our beds as if you were elflings again. Would you feel safe then perhaps?" Both he and Elrond laughed thinking the two of them would be horrified to be treated like children.

"Yes!" came the reply from both, now seeming to be much more relaxed.

Thranduil smacked Elrond in the back of the head. "Thank you mellon for I was planning on a peaceful nights sleep, not one spent being elbowed for snoring too loudly, nor do I wish to wake up with his feet in my mouth again."

Legolas said nothing as they walked back, but he knew he would never poke fun at Estel's fears again, for sometimes fears were real, and sometimes they begged for you to follow them into death.


End file.
